Universal service

The purpose of the universal service is to guarantee that a basic telecommunications services offering is made available to all categories of the population and in all the regions of the country. These services must be affordable, reliable and must be of a certain quality. The universal service includes the public telephone service, broadband internet connections  and the provision of special services for the disabled.

ComCom is obliged by the TCA to periodically put the licence for universal service in telecommunications out to tender and to award it on the basis of a competition based on criteria. It is within the remit of the Federal Council to adapt the content of the universal service periodically to social and economic needs as well as to technological developments.  

Universal service license


On 15 May 2023, ComCom designated Swisscom as the holder of the universal service licence for the next period 2024 – 2031 (see the press release below).

With regard to internet access, since January 1, 2024, the specified transmission rate are 10/1 Mbit/s or 80/8 Mbit/s at the customer's request.

In addition to SMS transcription and relay services, and voice access to directory services, the hearing-impaired also benefit from a sign-language relay service for conversations via video telephony.



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